


Berry Berry Cherry Latte

by artsy_hoe



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, American - Freeform, But yk, Fluff, Flufftober, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Mild Language, No Bashing, Not Beta Read, OC's - Freeform, Texting, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and ngl it was worth it, lots of them because i needed characters, not equally, thats a lot of au's, way too fluffy, we love everyone equally, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26933839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsy_hoe/pseuds/artsy_hoe
Summary: Hi guys! This was just some fluff to brighten up my day (and hopefully yours).  I’ll add a second chapter of Remus’ POV if you guys want!
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Regulus Black & Sirius Black, Regulus Black/Severus Snape, Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 7
Kudos: 53





	Berry Berry Cherry Latte

**Author's Note:**

> Do Not ask me about the names for the food. I just called them whatever first came to mind, which tended to be a little strange and 'quirky' (obviously they were named by an overzealous Alice)
> 
> The coffee shop is owned by Alice and Remus helps out a bunch.

Sirius had just finished his classes for the day and had a 15-page essay due the next. He needed caffeine, wifi, and a quiet place to work; in other words, he needed to find a coffee shop as soon as possible. Sirius had just gotten off campus (the coffee shops there were absurdly expensive), and he pulled up Google Maps. There were at least 20 cafes within a mile, so he pulled up directions to one half a mile away with good ratings and reasonable prices. 

He walked to the shop which took about 10 minutes and entered. Sirius was dumbfounded by the sight in front of him: it was the most gorgeous man he had ever set his eyes on. He had fluffy fawn hair, a light green sweater underneath his apron, toned arms Sirius wished would pin him down, and badass scars all over his face and arms. 

He was startled out of his daydreams by a small tap on his shoulder and whipped around to see an amused teenager smirking at him and silently telling him to get a move on. _Kids these days_. Sirius then realized he had been standing in the doorway and moved aside to let the girl go in front of him--she deserved it for having to witness his salivating over the annoyingly hot barista. 

There was no one else behind him, so he followed the girl up to the register. She ordered an iced chai latte and chatted a bit with the barista. He stepped up to the register and asked the barista, “Hey handsome, what’s good on the menu?” 

The barista rolled his eyes, and his ears tinted red. Sirius thought it was cute. “Well…?” Sirius prompted. 

Curtly the barista, responded, “The Chocolatte’s are very popular, as are the Marry Me Mochas.”

“Those both sound good. What do you normally order?” 

The barista didn’t roll his eyes again, but it was a near thing before repeating himself, “The Chocolatte’s and the Marry Me Mocha’s are very popular if you don’t like chocolate like a loser, the Obsidian is popular and heavily caffeinated.” 

Sirius huffed, clearly his flirting was going unnoticed, and said, “Alrighttttt, since you’re so stingy with what you order, I’ll just have to get the Obsidian, I have an essay due tomorrow.” 

“What size?” 

“Uhh, a large. Oh, and it’s for here.” 

The barista hummed, entered the order, and asked, “Is there anything else?” 

Sirius looked at the pastries—they did look delicious. He’d have to try one later, but he wasn’t hungry quite yet, “Your name?” 

The barista gave Sirius an annoyed look before pointing to his name tag. _Remus._ Sirius smiled brightly. In response, the barista--no, Remus-- turned around the monitor and motioned for Sirius to pay. He took out his card and paid, adding a substantial tip. Remus said in his gravelly voice (he’d be really good at ASMR), “Your drink will be right up. Can I have a name to go with the order?” 

“Sirius!”

“Mhm. Okay. Have a good day; your drink will be right up.” Remus said in an attempted customer-service voice. Sirius thought it was hopelessly adorable, and before he embarrassed himself more by doing something weird like cooing, bounded away from the register and took a seat in a corner next to an outlet. 

He pulled out his laptop and started working on his essay. Sirius was startled when he heard his name being called, and he walked up to the counter, grabbed his coffee, smiled at the barista--not Remus--and went back to crank out his essay. He took a sip of his coffee; Remus was right, Obsidian was really good. Sirius had been working for 2 hours when he ran out of coffee. He ordered another and continued to work. He was tapped on his shoulder by Remus, holding his coffee. Sirius smiled brightly and gasped out, “My hero!” 

Remus’s ears turned a bright red to his astonishment and delight, and he ducked his head as if embarrassed. Sirius just smiled, thanked him, and turned back to his essay. 

Eventually, he finished and left, bidding the barista at the counter goodbye. This one was tall with a cheerful smile and cropped black hair (Remus was cuter though). 

Sirius walked to the bus station with a smile on his face. He needed to come back here. The coffee was good, the pastries looked good, and the baristas were really cute. He entered the bus, swiped his ventra, and snagged a seat in the back of the bus. He pulled out his earbuds and plugged them in. He blasted music all the way home and tried to zone out, but all he could think about was Remus. Sirius wondered what he would look like if he smiled and sighed. Remus would be devastating if he smiled. The bus ride passed in a breeze of too-loud music, blurry buildings, and circling thoughts revolving around Remus. He exited the bus, walked home, unlocked his apartment door, reheated some Panang curry, and ate it while scrolling through Instagram. 

He finished his meal, got ready for bed, and collapsed on his bed. The mattress groaned in protest. Sirius looked at the cracked ceiling and thought of Remus--he barely knew him, but he couldn’t stop thinking about him! He rolled over and screamed into his pillow. _Why was life so unfair???_ He got under the covers and closed his eyes, and was lulled to sleep by thoughts of the annoyingly cute barista.

He woke up the next morning to the sound of 2000s pop blasting, his sleep-addled mind pinned it down as Lady Gaga. Sirius smashed the snooze button and rolled out of bed. He landed on the floor with a thump, tangled within the blankets. He extricated himself from his cocoon of warmth in favor of getting ready for the day. Sirius realized he had set his alarm an hour early on the bus ride to campus, so instead of skulking around the campus for someone to hang out with or doing something productive like studying, he went to get coffee. 

As a broke college student, his go-to caffeine dosage usually came from the nearest gas station or a random, cheap, hipster cafe. He then remembered the cafe he went to yesterday with Remus (the annoyingly hot barista with basically no expression) and decided to head there. What was it called again? Crimson Cafe? Cloud Cafe? C something. Cobalt Cafe! Sirius decided to head there. 

He got off a stop early and walked for a bit to get there. It was open, so he headed in with a grin on his face. Sirius was elated to see Remus was at the register. He got in line, practically bouncing with excitement for his turn. Eventually, it was, and he smiled brightly and asked, “Hi again! Do you have any recommendations, Remus?” 

Remus was clearly miffed at having to deal with Sirius at 7 in the morning, but he responded, “The No Depresso Espresso and Courtesan Cortado are popular at this time of day. As are the Boo-berry Muffins.” 

Sirius snorted at the names and responded, “Creative names. What do you usually get?”

Remus hummed and said, “I was not in charge of naming, the No Depresso Espresso, Courtesan Cortado, and the Boo-berry Muffins are all very popular.”

“But what do you order?” Sirius pestered in a cartoonishly drawn-out way. 

Remus looked at him impassively till Sirius caved and said, “I’ll have to come back again to find out what you order, I will prevail! But I think I’ll get the No Deppresso Espresso--a large--and,” He looked at the meticulously written out chalkboard menu, “I’ll also have the Poor Man’s Persimmon Pastry. For here, please.” 

Remus hummed again and entered the information. Sirius paid and went to wait by the counter. He sat at one of the high top booths to watch the baristas work. He noticed that along with Remus, there was a pretty brunette. She whirled around, clearly in her element, with a bright smile and a cheerful disposition. Sirius still preferred Remus, but this barista was hella cute. His order was called out, and he went up and grabbed his food. He smiled at the barista and went to snag a seat before realizing there were none left and headed back to his hightop seat. 

Belatedly he realized that he never gave Remus his name, so he must have remembered him. He smiled into his coffee, his glee barely concealed, and ate his pastry. It was terrific, so was the coffee. He scrolled through Instagram and checked his schedule for the day. Soon he had to leave for class, so he left, walked to campus, and started his day. 

His day was uneventful, and he had dinner with Lily, Regulus, and Severus, so he was glad when it was over. It would be a little weird having family dinner without James, but it couldn’t be helped. With all of their busy schedules, this was the only date where most of them were free. James just had to suffer. 

He headed back to his apartment and changed from his ratty hoodie and beat up converse to a more respectable black button-down, black jeans, and red vans (his nice pair). Usually, he wouldn't dress up just to see them, but Lily was heavily pregnant, so Regulus offered to just take them all out for dinner. And knowing the Regulus, it was going to be somewhere ranging from respectable to ostentatious, so it was better to be prepared. 

Lily had said that they should meet at her home and then all drive to the restaurant, so Sirius got on the bus and headed to her house. He was there within an hour and walked up and rang the doorbell. A heavily pregnant woman in a lavender dress opened the door. 

“Lily!” Sirius cried before embracing the woman in front of him. She laughed good-naturedly and stepped back, letting him enter. There was another knock on the door, a sharp sound that cut through the room. Lily smiled fondly before walking back to the door. There was murmuring that Sirius couldn’t pick out. Lily led a smiling Regulus in a lovely purple button-down and black slacks, and a miserable-looking Severus in a green button-down and dark jeans. 

“Reggie!” Sirius cried before practically throwing himself at the man who’s smile turned exasperated as he caught the flailing Sirius. 

“Oh, and hi, Sev.” 

“Don’t call me Sev.” Replied Severus tersely. 

Sirius just smiled and started saying, “Sev, Sev, Sevvie-Sev-Seeeev.”

“How are you still so immature, and you’re getting your masters?” 

Sirius rolled his eyes and started chatting with Regulus. They all conversed for a bit, catching up before Lily herded them out the door. 

They got to the restaurant; some new fusion restaurants banked on being out of the box and Instagram-y. According to Regulus, they had great food, though, and he was notoriously hard to please, so they must be pretty good. They all were seated at a reserved table and immediately attended to by the waiters. Money sure helped (especially if your last name was Black, despite the families’ general disgustingness). They all asked for water: Lily because she’s pregnant, Severus because he’s driving, Regulus because he’s still underaged, and Sirius because getting home tipsy is not fun. 

They were provided menus, and they browsed while chatting amicably; they were adults after all (though 20 and 21 years old was right at the cusp). There was good-natured teasing between Regulus and Sirius, but otherwise, it was a nice outing. Then the topic of romance came up. Lily asked, “Will I be meeting any special people in the near future, Sirius?”

Sirius took this as a sign to start rambling about this cute barista he met. 

“I am glad you asked!! I just met the cutest barista ever! He’s so cute and funny, and I just want to make him smile!”

Regulus and Severus rolled their eyes, but Lily smiled brightly and asked, “Oh, that’s so sweet. What’s his name?”

“Remus!” Sirius provided cheerfully. 

They were interrupted by a waiter coming over to get their food orders. The table ordered and then resumed their conversation. 

Lily inputted, “Well, I think it’s lovely that you met someone. You should get to know him better.”

A waiter came to deliver their food. They dug in, quiet while they ate until Sirius had satiated his hunger and started to eat slowly, taking bites and conversing. They talked about everything from baby names (they were thinking of Harry) to how their meals were (Severus picked out the best food and Regulus kept stealing bits from him because apparently, his dish was a ‘Disgusting attempt at a salvageable meal. Plum does not taste good with tuna and nori.’)

With their plates clean, their conversation lulled into a soothing murmur, upbeat music playing in the background. They ordered a dessert, prolonging time with each other, in their little family, away from the world. Too soon, though, their time together waned away, and they had to say their goodbyes and make the trek home. They left, exchanging well wishes, and Sirius hugged everyone goodbye (even Severus) before bounding away to catch the bus. 

The rest of Sirius’s night passed in a blur, from the bus ride home to getting ready for bed. Before he knew, he was home and in his bed, flicking through Pinterest (hey, he was just a simple bisexual who wanted to plan out his wedding) until Sirius eventually was lulled to sleep. 

The next morning, he woke up feeling emotionally and physically recharged (spending time with his loved ones was always good for his mental/emotional health). He had to work today, and Dorcas wanted to meet up after work, so he had to wear presentable clothing. 

Sirius groaned. 

As much as he disliked his classes (that was a lie, he loved learning), at least he could wear whatever he wanted. Sirius hated work days because he had to wear “appropriate clothes” apparently, crop-tops and distressed jeans were “unprofessional.” So he got up and rummaged through his closet. He picked out black slacks, a dark red button-down, black dress shoes, and started taming his hair. 

Brushing his hair, he thought about which hairstyle to do today. As usual, he decided to just do a simple bun. He pulled his hair up into a high ponytail, and smoothed, pinned, and twisted his hair until it looked presentable. 

Sirius checked the time, and as he was running early, he chose to skip breakfast, opting to go to a coffee shop instead, for his daily dose of caffeine and sugar. He brushed his teeth, checked over his reflection in the mirror, and put on his shoes. Grabbing his light coat, his keys, his wallet, his phone, and his bag that contained his ID, his laptop, and the drawings he had been reviewing for Marie, he headed out. Standing by the bus stop, he checked when the bus would arrive, and then busied himself in picking a coffee shop. As it turned out, Cobalt Cafe was right on the way to his job, so he decided to stop there. 

With a rumble, the bus stopped in front of him, and Sirius entered the bus. He swiped his ventra and snagged a window seat. Humming, he texted some friends while waiting for his stop to be called out. Eventually, it was, so he got off and entered the coffee shop. He noticed, to his utter delight, that Remus was wiping off the counter, clearly waiting for a client. Bounding up to the counter he exclaimed, in a volume too loud for this early in the morning, “Hi Remus!” 

Remus looked up, his eyes widened, and he replied, “Hello Sirius.”

Sirius gasped, “You remembered!” 

“Of course.” 

“Well, I’d like to order something! What do you normally get?” 

“The Courtesan Cortado, Mystical Macchiatos, and the Boo-Berry Muffins are very popular. As is the No Depresso Espresso.” 

“But what do you order??” The question was followed up with a rather impressive Disney Princess impression complete with clasped hands and fluttering eyelashes. Remus was unaffected, unfortunately. 

“We recently added Crystalline Croissants to the menu, if you would like to try that. If you do, please tell us what you think, as it is new.” 

Sirius pouted. “Alright be secretive. I’ll have two Crystalline Croissants and a No Depresso Espresso, large.”

“For here, or to go?” 

“To go please!” 

Remus rang up his order, Sirius signed, and Remus started Sirius’s order. Quickly--as there were no other patrons waiting for their orders-- Sirius’s order was completed. He was handed his bag and cup and he awarded Remus with a bright smile. Remus’s ears dusted pink, much to Sirius’s delight, and his smile widened. 

Taking his food and putting it in his bag he told Remus, “I’ll have to tell you what I think next time I come and I will find out your order! But I have to go itwasniceseeingyoubye!” 

He then practically ran out the door. Barely missing the bus, he got on, fumbled with his card, and went to the very back to sit. He pulled out his food and took a bite. It was really good! It was a croissant with some sort of crystalized sugar inside so it was crunchy, buttery, and really sweet. Sirius was glad he ordered two as he devoured them both. 

Getting off the bus, he sipped his coffee and headed into work. He couldn’t wait till graduation when he didn’t have to be an intern anymore. At least he got paid. His day passed without incident and he headed over to his apartment to change before meeting up with Dorcas. Mentally scanning through his wardrobe, he passed time by picking out his outfit--despite it not being a date, he always dressed well for Dorcas. It was just easier to dress well than to be given ‘subtle’ judgy looks the whole time. As he exited the bus and walked towards his apartment he had fully planned his outfit. 

Picking out a flowy, azure turtleneck blouse, black skinny jeans, and grey canvas sneakers he began to methodically change out of his work clothes and into his chosen outfit. He put on the clothes and then started putting on jewelry. Putting in dangly earrings and layering thin gold necklaces, he professed his look complete. Dabbing some blush on his cheekbones, nose, lips, and eyelids, he did a once over in the mirror and checked the time. He had enough time to do eyeliner, so he did so, and left the house to meet with Dorcas. 

They were going to a nice tea place that one wouldn’t associate with Dorcas, but it also fit perfectly with her unique aesthetic. When he arrived, he was abruptly hugged by a figure in blue. Sirius took a step back and admired Dorcas’s outfit of the day. She was wearing a teal pleated skirt and an argyle sweater-vest. Similarly to Sirius, she was wearing layered thin gold necklaces, but she was also wearing large gold hoops, and her hair was styled as normal: cropped on the sides, long and fluffy on the top. There was also something else. Sirius sniffed the air. Perfume! 

“You like it?” Dorcas asked. 

Sirius nodded, smiling, and motioned for them to head in. Dorcas elbowed Sirius, before showing him to where they were seated. They sat down and browsed the menu. It was an elegant tea shop and library, with books that came with different menu items. 

“Hello!” A cheerful voice interrupted the two people. They both looked up at who had spoken and saw a young woman with blonde hair and a bright smile. 

“I’m Anya and I will be your waitress for today, is there anything I can help you with?”

Dorcas and Sirius looked at each other before Dorcas asked, “Hi! What would you recommend for us?” 

“Well, personally I love the Raspberry Tart. It goes really well with the Lady Grey Tea. The Vanilla Tea goes well with the Sugar Cookie Platter, and if you like chocolate, the Chocolate Lover’s Delight is a combination of our patisserie’s favorite chocolate desserts and it comes with a lovely mint tea.” 

“That all sounds really good. I think I’ll have the Raspberry Tart and the Lady Grey Tea, and what will you have Dory?”

Dorcas looked back at the menu before looking back up at Anya and saying, “I’ll have the Orange Oolong with the Nutmeg Profiteroles.”

“Excellent choices!” Anya said, whilst scribing down their orders. “Is that all?” 

They looked at each other before confirming. She gave them one last smile before practically prancing away. Both people turned back around and began updating each other about their lives. From Sirius’s internship at Wick & Louis Engineering to Dorcas’s booming fashion blog and company, there was quite a bit of information to cover. They began gossiping about their classmates (Dorcas was convinced Jake Marqui and Lee-Anne Callway were secretly dating and Sirius spilled all about how Professor Flynn was propositioning all the girls--and a few boys--for better grades). Anya then brought over their tea, desserts, and books. 

She placed the desserts, teapots, and books down, filled the teapots with their respective tea leaves, and poured boiling water into them. They thanked her and she smiled, eyes crinkling, before leaving and attending a pair that just walked in. Dorcas and Sirius looked over at who had arrived, and had he been drinking his tea, Sirius would’ve spit it all out. It was Remus! 

“Sirius!” Dorcas hissed, “Stop that! You look like you’ve never seen a hot person before!”

“No, no, no, it’s just that I know them!”

It was Dorcas’s turn to almost spit out her tea, though she was lifting his teacup to take a sip, so it was slightly riskier. She set her teacup down and then, with eyes as wide as plates, hissed at Sirius, “And just how do you know them?? She looks like an actual goddess among men and you’re cute, but you’re just a mortal like the rest of us!! How??” 

“They work at a coffee shop I really like! And stop panicking you, useless lesbian! That’s one of the baristas and I’m pretty sure she’s had a rainbow pin on her apron.” 

Dorcas’s eyes bugged out even more, and neither of them noticed that Anya was leading the two friends right near them to a corner booth across from Dorcas and Sirius; there was no way that they wouldn’t notice the two. 

Dorcas smoothed out Sirius’s hair as Sirius batted her hands away.

“What are you doing!?” 

Dorcas replied defensively, “I’m just trying to help you!” 

Their playful bickering came to a screeching stop when they heard a halting voice call out, “Sirius?” 

They looked up to see Remus with a pained expression on his face, the other person looking too cheerful to be real, and a slightly uncomfortable Anya. 

“Hey, Remus!” Sirius called out beaming, oblivious to the tension. (Dorcas was not as oblivious and was very uncomfortable.) 

“Are, are you on a date?” Remus asked, looking like a kicked puppy.

“With this loser? No way!” Sirius exclaimed, and immediately the tension was relieved. 

“Um excuse me, our dating would imply that I didn’t have taste, and I feel very offended,” Dorcas added, jokingly. 

“Hey! That’s mean!” Sirius pouted before asking Remus, “Are you on a date?” 

Remus looked peeved at the suggestion while his companion laughed loudly and then said, “No, no, I don’t swing that way. I’m Marlene.” 

“Well! As lovely as this is, and I’m quite sorry to cut this short, I have to greet the people who just entered, so if you’ll follow me, I’ll seat you.” Said Anya. Remus and Marlene nodded and Anya led them to their table. She went through her little greeting spiel and Dorcas turned back to Sirius. 

They were both still in shock and just sipped their tea and ate their desserts. Their conversation slowly warmed up, but they pointedly didn’t mention the people sitting mere meters away from them. A quiet waiter refilled their teapots as Dorcas and Sirius continued to chatter congenially. When their teapots were nothing but tea leaves and their plates just crumbs, they asked for the check and left. Only then did they talk about Remus and Marlene. 

“Holy shit babe.” Dorcas started when they were a safe distance away from the tea parlor. 

“I know!”

“I’m just surprised you knew those hotties.”

“Excuse me!”

“And I’m surprised that one of them likes you.”

“Wait what??”

“Oh yeah, Remus is totally into you.”

“What the fuck?? No, he’s not!”

“Uhh yeah, he is.”

“Prove it. I don’t believe you.”

“Okay. Didn’t you see how heartbroken he was when he thought you were on a date and how he immediately brightened up when you said you weren’t?” 

“I’m sure you’re hallucinating, he wouldn’t want someone like me. He has that hot librarian aesthetic, he wants someone calm and nerdy. He’s probably not even gay.”

“Um, have you met yourself? You’re a total nerd and you’re hot and personable. You aren’t my type because I like girls. He’d be lucky to snag someone like you.”

“First off, wrong. I’m obnoxious, I’m a danger to myself and humanity.”

“Oh my god, Siri stop with this bullshit self-deprecation?” 

“You’re just mad that it’s true.” 

At that admission, Dorcas rolled her eyes and put her face in her hands. “You’re hopeless.” She said, “I refuse to talk about this anymore if you’re going to be so obtuse.” 

Sirius pouted but then saw an ice cream vendor and tugged on Dorcas’s sleeve, “Ice cream!” 

“We just ate Siri” 

“And?? I’m always hungry for ice cream, and this is probably the last weekend they’ll be selling!” 

Dorcas sighed but walked over to the ice cream vendor with Sirius. Sirius bought a cherry popsicle with some rolled-up dollar bills he found in his bag. Sirius opened his popsicle and sighed happily. Dorcas rolled her eyes at her annoying friend but didn’t say anything as they kept walking. They walked to a park and sat down as Sirius ate his popsicle and Dorcas looked through Pinterest and Instagram to see what people thought of her newest clothes. Sirius finished his popsicle and looked over Dorcas’s shoulder to see what she was doing. Noticing him, Dorcas put her phone in the middle of them as they looked through the replies, reviews, and comments. 

There was a lot of praise for her models as Dorcas used her friends, so her models were incredibly diverse in terms of race, body type, and gender. She looked through her last few models and noticed that the images with the most likes featured Sirius, and looking through the comments, it was no coincidence. Noticing that it had been several months since she had Sirius model her clothes, she asked her friend, “Hey I have a new dress and a couple of new shirts and earrings. Do you wanna model?” 

Sirius eagerly nodded and said, “I’ll model whatever you want! Can I look at the outfits?”

“Sure!” Dorcas said before clicking to her photos. She opened an album that contained her new clothes and showed Sirius. The new dress was a slip dress with a galaxy print all over. There were carefully embroidered constellations in silver thread and it looked like the fabric was spray painted. 

“Oooo.” Sirius said, “I think Colleen would look lovely in that dress cause she has that new silver streak.” 

Dorcas nodded, flipped to the notes app, and wrote that down. She flipped through her other designs: a pale pink tube top with magenta triangles placed all over, jutting out, a lime green wrap top with a hand-painted rose decal on the back, a lavender mesh halter top with embroidered lavender plants for modesty, and lollipop earrings. Sirius offered who he thought would model the outfits best, and they decided that he would model the green wrap top, the mesh halter top, and the lollipop earrings. 

  
  


Dorcas looked at the time. It was 3:10. She huffed and said, “I have to watch my little cousin at 4:30. It takes me 45 minutes to get home so I should probably go.”

Sirius wrinkled his nose but said, “I completely get it. So… goodbye?” 

They stood up and hugged, saying goodbyes, and then parted ways: Sirius to the bus, Dorcas to the train. 

Sirius walked to the bus stop and waited. What a day this was. His bus pulled up, he got on and sat in the back. He listened to music the whole way home and zoned out. Walking back to his apartment he thought about what he wanted for dinner. When he got back to his apartment he looked through his kitchen and realized he had to go to the grocery store. He tore out a sticky-note and started making a list of what he needed for the week. 

_Cereal, milk, eggs, kale, red peppers, chicken breasts, jalapenos, strawberries, takis, apples, sparkling water, bread, bagels, cream cheese, yogurt cups, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese._

He scanned over his list, making sure he had everything. He had been skipping lunch these past few days, but, thinking to himself, he could make simple lunches every night, and his mood would definitely improve throughout the day. 

Checking the time, he noticed he had a couple of hours to go to the grocery store so he got his keys, wallet, phone, list, and reusable grocery bags, and headed out the door. The store was within walking distance so he walked right over, and started shopping. He grabbed his milk, eggs, yogurt, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese in the dairy aisle, before heading over to the grains section. He meandered through the rest of the store, picking and choosing what items he wanted and then headed over to the checkout counter. He paid for his groceries and walked home. 

Sirius entered the building, walked up the stairs to his apartment, and started putting his groceries away. He made dinner, cleaned up, and picked out his lunch for tomorrow. He had classes all day, so it was either spend money somewhere expensive on campus or make his own lunch. So he opted to just make it. Smearing cream cheese on a bagel (toasted, of course), he thought about Remus and what Dorcas said. Could he really like him? Like a crush? While looking for a container to put strawberries in, he thought about it. 

Sirius knew he was good looking, even if he didn’t feel like it a lot of the time. He also knew that a lot of people liked him (Eleanor, Rayan, Chida, and Huu were the ones he dated, but there were many more). It wasn't absurd that Remus could be attracted to him, but Sirius was generally really annoying, Dorcas was probably just stirring the pot. Putting his strawberries and his bagel into a lunchbox Lily bought him years ago, he still thought about Remus. 

This was getting ridiculous. It was like middle school all over again when he liked Mary. He put his lunchbox in the fridge and set a reminder in the morning to grab it. Yawning and stretching he went to his room and started taking off his clothes. He showered, changed into pj’s, brushed his teeth, and stared tiredly at his reflection. _Why were feelings so complicated??_ He had three or four hours before he should sleep, so he decided to work on some homework. Blasting music, he pulled out his laptop and started writing the essay on vehicular kinematics due in three days. The outline was done within 30 minutes, so all he had to do was flesh out his paragraphs. _Ugh_. He sighed and started writing his introduction. 

The rest of his night passed in the same way: he finished up his essay, blasted music, and lounged around on his bed. Eventually, he plugged in his phone, turned on his alarm, and crawled into bed. He tossed and turned for several hours before sleep eventually swept him into whimsical dreams. 

The sun made its presence known the next morning, waking Sirius, who had always been a light sleeper, up. He opened his eyes just a sliver, before groaning and rolling over. He reluctantly got out of bed and got ready for the day. His morning rushed by in a blur, from getting ready to getting to campus, to sipping cheap, bitter coffee from 7-11 because his bank account was unhappy with his grocery shopping habits (he had been getting better, though, as Dorcas’ affinity for coupons had started to rub off). 

His morning classes sped by, and he couldn't really recall the material covered, but he always took detailed notes. Nobody expected it from him, but he had really neat and comprehensive notes, courtesy of his biological mother’s insistence. 

He headed to his last class for the day (Chemistry). Taking a seat, he noticed that the professor had projected names in squares on the board. Ughhh. Group projects. He tried to find his name, but it was too small for him to read at a distance. Students trickled in and took their seats, pulling out laptops, pens, and notebooks. 

Quentin Molodov and Kiersten Shah sat next to him, so he started a quick conversation with them while the professor set up. The class fell silent as the professor took attendance and then started back up when the professor started passing back quizzes. People were trading answers and seeing what they had done right and wrong. There were more than a few groans of annoyance as well as some quiet cheers of people who clearly thought they were going to fail--like Sirius. He looked at his quiz. In big, bold, red ink, there was a 98% on the top. He flipped through the packet to see what he had messed up and hummed in acceptance at his wrong calculations. 

He felt someone peering over his shoulder and looked around to see Kiersten looking at his test. She made grabby motions for the quiz and dutifully he handed it over. Kiersten had gotten an 87%, which honestly, was one of the highest grades in the class. The top scores were as follows: 99, 98, 98, 96, 92, 91, 89, 88, and 87, everyone else got between 39 and 81.

Once finished, the professor cleared her throat and began talking. She explained the project that they would be doing and that it was to be with a partner, not of their choosing, but based on their test scores; lower scores with higher scores. Continuing, she started announcing names. Sirius zoned out until he heard his name being called out. 

“Sirius Black and Molly Prewett.”

Sirius was thrilled, even though it meant that Molly didn’t do well on the quiz. Molly was not only an amazing study partner (she helped him pass World Lit) but she always bought him snacks, and she also was really funny. The class wrapped up and as they were all leaving, Sirius went over to where Molly was sitting. 

“Boo!” Sirius said in Molly’s ear.

She jerked and hit Sirius who was cackling. She just rolled her eyes and said, “What do you want?”

Still chuckling, Sirius responded, “I have work for the next couple of days, could we work on the project today? We can go to my place or a coffee shop or something.”

“Sure! I’m hungry so how about we go to a coffee shop. Off-campus, right?”

“Duh. There’s this cute one I’ve been going to. It's called Cobalt Cafe. Wanna go there?”

“Oh, I’ve been there a bunch of times. The baristas are so cute.” 

“I know right! There’s this one I’ve been flirting with. I’m pretty sure he wants to stab me by now, but Dory’s convinced he likes me back. Weirdo.”

Molly looked at him weirdly before saying, “Dorcas doesn’t lie to her friends. At least not in ways that would hurt them. You know this.”

“Yeah, yeah. I guess. Remus’s too good for me so I just don’t believe him.”

Molly stared at him with wide eyes, spluttering, “You’ve been flirting with Remus???” 

“Yeah,” Sirius said dreamily, “He’s so hot.”

Molly had that weird expression on her face again, but Sirius just ignored it in favor of grabbing his stuff and leaving, motioning for Molly to come as well. They walked to Cobalt Cafe, chattering about their classes, their classmates, Arthur, what they should do for their project, and what they usually ordered. 

When Sirius told Molly how he was trying to find out Remus’s order, she looked amused and asked how it was going. Taking that as permission to talk all about Remus, he started talking all about Remus. He only stopped when they got to the cafe. There was a substantial line, about 6 or 7 groups, so they waited a little bit. Remus was at the register, looking more annoyed than usual. Sirius didn’t seem to notice, and smiled brightly, practically shouting, “Hi Remus!” 

Sirius let Molly order before him. She smiled and said, “Hello. I would like a large Teenie Greenie Tea and a Smol Bean Cinnamon Roll.”

Remus nodded once and typed in the order. “For here or to go?”

“For here, please.”

“Can I have a name?”

“Molly.”

Remus nodded again. Once the transaction was completed, Sirius slid in front of the counter and smiled brightly.

“Hey, Remus! Wanna tell me what you order?”

Staring at him blankly, Remus said, “The No Depresso Espresso and the Marry Me Mochas are very popular. The Crystalline Croissants are new. What did you think of those?” 

Sirius pouted at how Remus didn’t answer his question, but brightened up and said, “The Crystalline Croissants were really, really good. I think I’ll get two again today. And since you’re being mean, I’ll just get a large Obsidian. For here please. Molly and I are together.”

Molly facepalmed and Remus looked like someone had just killed his dog. Sirius obviously was oblivious. They all heard a crash and looked over to see a teenage girl banging her head on the counter at one of the high tops. 

Remus softly said, “Lia stop.” 

They heard a muffled “No you guys are dumb”. 

Remus’s face looked weird for a second before it registered to Sirius that he was smiling. Smiling!! Sirius was so gone on this man. 

It disappeared as soon as it came, and Sirius was crestfallen but quickly hid it with a bright smile. Remus turned back to Sirius and Molly, his face as blank as ever, and asked Sirius, “So two Crystalline Croissants and a large Obsidian? For here?” 

Sirius confirmed his order and paid. After paying, he skipped over to one of the corner booths. Molly lagged behind and said, before leaving, to Remus, “He’s single, you know. He and I aren’t dating, I have a fiance.” Before walking away and leaving a confused Remus behind with impatient customers. 

When Molly got to the table she punched Sirius in the arm. Hard. Sirius looked at her, betrayed, and a little confused. She just rolled her eyes and got out her laptop. Following suit, Sirius created a doc and shared it with her. They worked for a little bit until a barista called their names--Alice, Sirius recognized her. Sirius went and grabbed their food and drinks, and they got to work. 

It had been several hours and they had knocked out most of the project when Arthur called Molly. Arthur was making dinner and wanted to know if Molly wanted some. Molly looked at Sirius with pleading eyes and he made a face that signaled: _Are you joking?? Of course, you have to go!_ So Molly and Sirius divided up the rest of the work and Molly left. 

Sirius decided to just finish the project, so he ordered another coffee, and kept working. After working for another hour and a half he let out a celebratory whoop and stretched. Sirius had finished his part! He started packing his stuff when his stomach rumbled. He snorted and once he finished packing up, he went up to the counter to order something. It looked like the cafe would be closing soon and the sun had set, so Sirius planned to just get a savory pastry or two to tide him over until he got home. 

When he got up to the register he said, “Hi Remus! I’m thinking of getting a savory pastry. Which ones are good here?”

Remus seemed to ponder that query for a little bit before replying, “The Cheeky Quiches and the Happiness Hand Pies are very popular.”

“What do you prefer?” 

Hesitantly, Remus said, “I usually eat the Spellbound Spanakopita.”

Sirius smiled so wide he thought his face would crack before saying, “I’ll have to get one of those!” 

Remus looked dazed for a few seconds before he typed the order in. Sirius continued to chatter throughout the whole process and sat down at a high top to continue to talk with Remus. 

“So Remus? Are you single?” Sirius asked, with false casualty, holding his pastry. 

Remus visibly startled and paused his wiping. He looked up at Sirius and said, “Yes.”

Thrilled by this development, Sirius smiled, said, “Me too!”, and took a bite of his pastry. He lightly moaned, it was really fucking good, and was wholly unprepared for the dark, verging on sinful look Remus gave him. Well, maybe Dorcas was onto something. He swallowed and watched how Remus’s gaze followed the movement of his throat. He smiled lazily, a sliver of danger peeking in before it melted into something more cheerful. 

“It’s really good! Who makes these?” Sirius asked, splintering the mood into something less heated. 

Remus blinked several times before replying, “Frank is our pastry chef.” 

“Well, my compliments to the chef. It’s almost as good as when you make my coffee.” Sirius remarked offhandedly before continuing to eat his croissant. 

Remus flushed at the praise and looked down at the counter. He remembered that he had been cleaning up, so he resumed wiping down the counter as if nothing had happened. Sirius devoured his croissant but was reluctant to leave Remus so he picked up the conversation again. 

“So what’s your favorite animal, Remus? Mine’s a panda!”

Remus muttered something that Sirius couldn’t quite hear, so he asked, “What did you say? I didn’t catch that.”

More clearly, Remus said, “Bats.” He then amended that statement and said, “My favorite animals are bats, specifically fruit bats.”

Sirius was absolutely charmed and he smothered his squeak of delight with his hand. He asked another question, trying to get to know Remus, “What’s your favorite color? I like black. Pink is really pretty too. And like, fuck gender norms.”

Patiently waiting for Sirius to finish, Remus responded, “Blue.”

“Fun! What about your favorite food?”

“I don't have a favorite food.”

“Aw c’mon everyone does. My favorite is anything spicy.”

“I don’t have a favorite food,” Remus repeated. 

“Alright keep your secrets. What’s your favorite type of music? Wait no, let me guess. Classical music? Or like fancy flute solos.”

“No.”

“Okay, okay. I’m going to keep guessing. You gotta tell me if I get it right.”

“Mhm.”

“Country?”

“No.” 

“Pop?”

“No.”

“Rap?”

“No.” 

“EDM?”

“No.” 

“Rock n Roll?”

“No.” 

“R&B?”

“No.” 

“Musical Theater?”

“No.” 

“Ughhhh what do you listen to?? I give up.”

Remus leveled a disappointed look at Sirius, but Sirius just pouted, and eventually, Remus caved. 

“I listen to a bunch of indie musicians on Spotify. And a lot of k-pop.”

Sirius was delighted, ecstatic, overjoyed, whatever else. This was so adorable!! It must have shown on his face because Remus blushed and slightly wrinkled his nose. Remus turned around, put the cloth away, and began closing down the shop. 

“What’s your favorite music, Sirius?”

“I listen to a little bit of everything! If it fits my mood, I like it, no matter the genre. Who’s your favorite artist?”

“Red Velvet.”

“Really! I thought by K-Pop you meant like EXO or BTS or like GOT7.”  
  


“I prefer more upbeat songs, though I do prefer the male group visuals.”

Sirius was interested, “Oh? Do explain.” 

“I am gay, Sirius,” Remus said, longsuffering. 

Sirius quietly said, “Oh.” Before exclaiming, “Moving on! Since you told me you’re gay, it’s only fair that I tell you that I’m bi. And the next question! Do you have any pets or something? I’d love to get a dog.”

Remus only blinked at the onslaught of words and questions before answering each one concisely. “You didn’t owe it to me to tell me your sexuality. And I have one pet.” 

“I know I didn’t owe you, but you know, I wanna keep this trade of information going. What pet do you have? What’s their name? What do they look like?”

“I have a dog, Lycan.” 

He then showed Sirius a picture of his dog. 

“Oh my god he is the cutest, bestest, dog I have ever seen, I love him and I’m kidnapping him from you. Also, I love the wolf theme going on, Remus? Lycan? Hilarious.”

“My last name is Lupin.”

“Shut up. What’s your middle name??”

“John.”

Sirius snorted, “I love how your parents named you wolf john wolf and then you named your dog werewolf.”

Remus just hummed and walked around the counter to start stacking chairs. Once Sirius realized what he was doing he said, “I am so sorry, I should leave and stop bothering you.” 

Remus turned around sharply and said, “You never bother me.”

Unprepared for such conviction, Sirius only blinked and stared at Remus before shaking his head and grinning at Remus. He then said, “Well now I’ll bother you constantly! By the way we should totally exchange numbers! That way I can bother you even more!!” 

It was Remus’s turn to blink. He finished stacking the chairs and walked over to Sirius. “We can exchange numbers if you want.”

Sirius beamed and fished out his phone, “Here! Put your number in!” 

Remus concentrated adorably on typing his number in and Sirius looked on, entranced. Quickly Remus finished and Sirius said, “Thank you so much! I’ll text you when I get home cause I really gotta get going! It was super nice talking to you!!” 

He then ran up, carrying his backpack, and stole a quick hug from Remus before running out of the cafe, heading to his bus stop. If he had bothered to look back, he would have seen a star-struck Remus, ears bright red, clutching his apron, a giddy expression on his face. But he didn’t, so he missed it. 

Sirius smiled the whole ride home and practically flew up the stairs to his apartment. He hastily fumbled with his keys as he tried to get into his apartment as fast as possible. He entered, throwing his backpack down, and went and slumped down onto his ratty, dark blue couch. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down, he was so giddy for no reason. Taking another deep breath he pulled out his phone and opened contacts. 

He looked at the contact name Remus had put in and was not surprised but annoyed by the lack of creativity in the name. It was just Remus Lupin, his number, and in the business section, it said Cobalt Cafe. Boringggggg. Sirius decided to change it and, like what he did for many of the contact names that he didn’t have cutesy nicknames for (and even ones he did) added tons of emojis oftentimes nonsensical ones. Some notable examples of this little habit of his were: Lilyyy🥵🔪💖😍, Reggieee🥰 😈🙊🐞💝💢🔇, and BEA BEA BEA🧠💋🧚♂️🧚♀️💄🧕🏽. He then decided to text a quick message and anxiously awaited the response. 

Sirius: hey remus! it’s sirius from the coffee shop!!

🦇 🐺🌙 Remus🥺💘🌹☕️ : hello sirius. 

Sirius: hi!!! hru?? 

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i’m doing well. you?

Sirius: good!! wyd???

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: my evening routine. you?

Sirius: im just wondering if i should reaaaaalllyyyy make dinner like do i need to

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: it’s unwise to skip meals sirius. 

Sirius: so seruous!! i’d be fine but i’ll make dinner just for u 😘😘

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: What are you making for dinner?

Sirius: hmmm idk?? prolly grilled cheese n tomato soup. im lazy 🤪

Sirius: what did u have for dinner??

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i heated up leftover grilled tofu and bok choy. i also ate several stale pastries that didn’t sell yesterday. 

Sirius: that sounds so much better than mine!! 😭😭😭😭

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i could send you the recipe if you wish. 

Sirius: its cool im not much of a cook. My bsf, on the other hand🤤🤤 

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: is she a chef? 

Sirius: she went to culinary school and had a job as a sous chef at the lady and the sheep for a while but shes on maternity rn cause shes had some complications 

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i am sorry to hear that she has experienced complications. is she alright? I have eaten at the lady and the sheep it’s a very lovely establishment. 

Sirius: iTs a LOveELy eSTAbliSHmEnT 

Sirius: ilysm Remus never change

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: … alright? 

Sirius: anyways wyd ???

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: reading. you?

Sirius: im just texting u 😘😘😘

Sirius: what’re some of ur hobbies?? i wanna keep the trade of info from earlier to keep going

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i read a lot, tend to my plants and dog, and cook. i also enjoy playing the violin. 

Sirius:,,,,,,,,,,,,, u didn’t have to be so perfect but go off i guess

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i am far from perfect, but thank you. 

Sirius: lies and slander. ur literally a god among mere mortals like me. i am blessed to know u. 

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: ...thank you? 

Sirius: yw!!! but anyways!!! what plants do u have??? i would totally have some but id probably kill them 😅 😅

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i have three jade plants, two spider plants, a braided money tree, and a small aloe plant alice bought me. 

Sirius: 😱 i wanna seeeeeeee

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: Alright

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: [image attached]

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: [image attached]

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: [image attached]

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: [image attached]

Sirius: so cute!!!!!!!!!!!! Do they have names??

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: they don’t. would you like to name them?

Sirius: adjbshdv UR THE BEST Remus ILYSMMMM ONE SEC IM THINKING OF NAMES

Sirius: so ur tiniest jade plant should be key lime, ur medium one should be grande, and ur big one should be giraffe 

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i will make name tags tomorrow. and the others? 

Sirius: UR MAKING NAME TAGS????????

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: should I not?

Sirius: NONNONONONO this is the BEST thing to happen to me since i got disowned !!!!!!!!!!!

Sirius: YOU’RE MY FAVORITE FUCKING PERSON

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: thank you. and the other names? 

Sirius: okay!!! for your big spider plant im thinking tarantula and the timy one should be salticidae cause like thats the scientific name for jumping spiders the lil tiny cute ones

Sirius: do u like spiders ????

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: no. i am Not fond of them. 

Sirius: lmaooo ill kill the big bad spiders for u remus

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: thank you. so you have any ideas about names for the money tree and the aloe?

Sirius: hmmm i gotta think 

Sirius: for the money tree u should do goldie and for the aloe u should do dr. pepper 

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: alright. i will send you images of the name tags when i make them if you wish. 

Sirius: OFC I WISH SEND ME THE PICSSSS

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i will

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: i am sorry to leave, but it is time for me to go to bed, good night sirius. 

Sirius: oh okay!!! sleep well!! 🎆 ❤️ 🌜 🌟 

🦇 🐺🌙Remus🥺💘🌹☕️: good night ❤️

Sirius traced the small heart with his finger, an impossible smile on his face. The whole night felt unreal and his cheeks hurt from laughter. He sighed, the dopey grin still on, as he plugged his phone in, and got ready for bed. He changed into pj’s, brushed his hair and teeth, and fell back on his bed. Was this what it felt like to be in love? Sirius quite liked it. 

The feeling, if he could call it love, was a near ethereal glow hidden in the hollow of his chest. It expanded with every breath and threatened to overtake his entirety with its warmth. He felt giddy and like he could run a marathon, yet the very air he breathed had been stolen from his lungs. His heart was no longer his; the now empty cavity under his sternum filled with euphoria. 

He sighed again. Was this his life now? Endless sighing and basking in the feeling of love? Perhaps it was love, or infatuation, or just lust. Whatever it was, it felt damn good, like he could conquer the world (and made him a trashy fucking poet goddamn he was cheesy). Before he got too wrapped up in his fantasies, he got under his covers and turned off his lamp light. Enveloped in his blankets, he allowed his mind to wander, not towards impure places, but towards fantastical visions--and unrealistic ones--of a future with Remus. Of puppies and little Remus’ and Sirius’ running around. Of house plants and house cats and house husbands. Of shared coffee, shared lives, and every little happiness Sirius’s sleep-addled mind could imagine. Eventually, as the moon rose in the sky, these day dreams turned into real dreams as Morpheus pulled Sirius into slumber. 

The next few weeks passed in a blur. A blur of cram studying, rigorous exams, scalding black coffee, bitchy colleagues, and lovely texts from Remus. Despite Sirius barely being able to go to the coffee shop with midterms rearing its ugly head, his days were filled with Remus. When not consumed by academic material, his thoughts were a tangle of Remus. Every free moment they texted about everything from deep philosophical life questions to what songs they were listening to at the moment. 

It seemed as if every other moment Sirius was smiling to himself about whatever newest text he had gotten. Sure, he had a bunch of exams, work wasn’t letting up in the slightest, and he barely saw or talked to any of his close friends and family, but Remus’s texts always made his day brighter. 

While Sirius didn’t know how Remus felt, he knew as sure as hell he was falling for this man deeper every day. Every little factoid, personality quirk, and life detail he learned, the more he was gone on Remus. Their talks lasted as long as they could and despite how chaotic their lives were, they found time for each other. Sirius was honestly contemplating asking the man out when their schedules cleared up. 

In time, their schedules did clear up. The earth kept spinning and midterms passed--so did both men. Sirius sequestered off time to catch up with his loved ones and took care of his general wellbeing, but he soon found himself on a bus towards Cobalt Cafe. His leg kept bouncing up and down and his thoughts were racing. He didn’t know why he was so nervous, it wasn’t like he was actually going to ask Remus out. Remus deserved an actual plan and scheme, not some spur-of-the-moment question. 

He exited the bus when the automated voice called out his stop and walked towards the cafe awning. The door rang when he entered and he walked up to the register. It wasn’t Remus. He tried not to seem as disappointed as he felt, but with the sympathetic look Alicegave him, he wasn’t sure he succeeded. He placed his order and quickly rushed out of the coffee shop, completely missing Remus who had just been in the kitchen doing inventory. 

Sirius walked to a nearby park and sat down sipping his coffee. He was not moping, thank you very much, but he did put his head in his hands and looked very downtrodden, so the notion wasn’t very convincing to anyone.

His ‘not’ sulking was interrupted by a very familiar ringtone (he paid 2 whole dollars for it, the ringtone better be recognizable) and picked up the phone with a “Hi Lily!” 

“ _Hello, Siri how are you?”_

“I’m good! How are you?”

_“Ready for the baby to be out.”_ She said with a light chuckle.

“Ah Lily, you only have a month left! And we can always make little Harry suffer when he’s older!

_“Oh, Siri never change. Anyways, how is Remus?”_

“Really good! I didn’t see him today but we’ve been texting near constantly.”

_“How sweet! Are you going to ask him out?”_

“I mean, I’d like too but I don’t know if he feels the same way as me.”

There was silence and Sirius felt the judgment through the phone.

“What??”

_“Do you really think he doesn’t feel the same way as you?”_

“Uh I um. I don’t know Lily. He seems like he’s really invested but what if I’m misreading it? Or does he just think of me as a friend? Or doesn’t want to date? Or what if he lied to me about being gay and he’s actually straight?”

_“Siri.”_

“Yes, Lily?” 

_“You’re being unreasonable. He clearly likes you, you said it yourself, he’s very invested, and he doesn’t seem the type to lie or mislead people, especially not at this magnitude.”_

“Yeah.”

“ _So I think you should ask him out.”_

“Wait what?”

Lily sighed and said, “ _You like Remus, Remus likes you, ask him out. Simple as that.”_

Sirius blinked before practically squawking, “It is not that simple!”

Sighing again, Lily said, “ _Please enlighten me, for I don’t see why on earth you wouldn’t just ask him out.”_

Sirius thought about it for a bit. He was definitely afraid of rejection, but it didn’t seem like he was going to get rejected. He knew that Remus was definitely responsive to his flirting, and while it was possible that the signals got crossed, there was a 95% chance that Remus liked him back. In fact, the more Sirius thought about it, the more he wanted to just ask Remus out. He then realized when he heard a polite cough on the phone. 

“Ah! Sorry Lily, I just got lost in thought.”

Lily giggled, _“I could certainly tell. Anyways, what were you thinking about?”_

“How I definitely, really want to ask Remus out and how he’ll probably say yes. I mean, I haven’t spent hours texting random friends.”

“ _I’m so proud of you! Go get ‘em tiger!”_

“Thanks Lils. Anyways, I have to go, I have a hot guy to seduce!”

Lily laughed and hung up. His courage bolstered, Sirius walked back to the coffee shop, delighted to see Remus at the counter looking bored. He took a deep breath and walked up to Remus. 

“Hey Remus, wanna tell me what you order?” 

Remus gave Sirius a flat stare and said, “The Boo-Berry Muffins and the Courtesan Cortado are very popular.”

With a sly smirk, Sirius asked, “Well, if I can’t have your order, can I have a date with you?”

Remus stared at him, stunned. Silence hung oppressively as the whole coffee shop waited in anticipation for Remus’ response. After he had been quiet for almost a minute, Sirius smiled weakly and began to turn around, tail between his legs. 

That seemed to shock Remus out of his stupor and he grabbed Sirius by his collar and hauled him into a kiss. The cafe (with exactly 7 patrons, Alice, and Frank) erupted into applause and wolf whistles. The couple parted, dazed. 

Remus gave Sirius a dazzling smile that took Sirius’ breath away. 

“Do you know what my usual order is?”

“N-no.”

“Well it’s the Berry Berry Cherry Latte because I love you a latte.”

Sirius groaned and jumped over the counter to pull Remus into another kiss. 

“I love you too, you absolute dork.”

**Author's Note:**

> I might be persuaded to write Remus' POV. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, how on earth do people write 100k plus fics?? Just the formatting and editing was a nightmare in google docs. Praise God for Grammarly.


End file.
